"Nightwing #5" Comic Review

Story by Steve Orlando and Tim SeeleyWritten by Steve OrlandoIllustrated by Roge AntonioColored by Chris Sotomayor2016, $2.99, 32 PagesComic released on September 21st, 2016

Review:

I can't imagine what the insurance rates in Gotham City must be like. Every few years something horrible happens and destroys big sections of the area (e.g. No Man's Land, Zero Year, etc.). Now, giant monsters are popping up thanks to Dr. Hugo Strange. Batman, Batwoman, and Nightwing are on the case, trying to put these beasts down before they hurt anyone. It doesn't help matters that a hurricane is currently descending on Gotham.

As mentioned in my review of Batman #7, part one of The Night of the Monster Men crossover, the Caped Crusader is currently dealing with some grief over the death of someone close to him. As a result, he's being overly protective of his fellow vigilantes for fear of losing them too. He's trying to control everything around him, which is a difficult task when Mother Nature is tearing things up and these big monsters aren't exactly helping.

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The thing about Batman now is that he's working with a team. He's got Nightwing and Batwoman with him in the field, as well as Spoiler, Orphan, and Clayface helping with evacuation efforts. Add in Alfred and Duke in the Batcave, and you've got enough people to play a sport game of some kind. (I have no idea how sports work or how many people are needed for a given game. Can you tell?) Everyone is connected through radio communications, so while one group is finding more information, another is doing research to help those out in the rain. It's a great flow, and although the Dark Knight probably wouldn't admit it, there's a nice sense of camaraderie, even though they're fighting kaiju-like creatures.

Speaking of the monsters, this time around we've got a double dose. If you thought the big baby that Batman took down in the last issue was creepy, just wait until you see these two. First up is a griffin / dragon hybrid that would give King Ghidorah a run for his money. The unsettling aspect of it is its head and how it seems to grow extras as needed. By the end there are at least three, each somewhat unique and sporting jaws capable of eating a man alive.

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The real terror comes in the monster seen on the cover of this issue, a big ass spider. I'm not doing artist Roge Antonio's design justice with that explanation. Picture the torso of a man, but with two long talons for arms. A gaping maw filled with rows of razor sharp teeth bursts from its face. Its lower body is massive, stretching out farther than we can see. I can only imagine what it might be filled with. I just hope it's not spider eggs. I don't want to see what unholy offspring this thing is capable of producing. As if that wasn't enough, it's preceded by a few mutant dog-like creatures with large tongues not unlike those seen in the vampires in The Strain. Good luck sleeping tonight, kids.

The Bat-Team is united in their grief and using it to band together to help Gotham City combat hideous monsters. They have not yet seen all of the creatures poised to terrorize the city and I'm sure that Batman still has a few more tricks up his sleeve. This is not a monster movie where the humans will flee in terror. These are super heroes that will stop at nothing to protect innocent civilians. Although they may be broken due to their recent loss, they're laser focused on this task.

Grades:

James has a 2nd grade reading level and, as a result, only reads books with pictures. Horror is his 5th favorite genre right after romantic comedy and just before silent films. No one knows why he's here, but he won't leave.